


Big Bird learns about Polyamory

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Series: Polyamory AU [1]
Category: Sesame Street (TV)
Genre: Background Susan Robinson/Gordon Robinson, Big Bird is precious and supportive, Canon Character of Color, Cute Kids, Deaf Character, Established Relationship, Fluff, Food mention, Friendship, Interracial Relationship, Multi, Multiamory March, Polyamory, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 12:18:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13834137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: A question about sharing food leads Big Bird to learn about a different type of relationship. Polyamory.





	Big Bird learns about Polyamory

"Can I ask you a question?" Big Bird asked Gordon and Susan one morning while they had breakfast.

"Sure Big Bird," Gordon said. "What is it?"

"Why do you always share your food with each other?"

"Well Big Bird," Susan said. "Sharing food is just something that people do when they're in love with each other."

"Oh I see." Big Bird continued eating his birdseed oatmeal. He didn't think about sharing food again until lunchtime.

At lunchtime, Big Bird ordered a birdseed milkshake from Mr. Hooper and went outside with it.

Out in the arbor, Big Bird found Olivia, David, Maria, Luis, Bob, and Linda sitting together eating their lunch.

"Can I join you?" he asked.

"Sure!" Came a chorus of voices, and a sign from Linda that meant the same thing.

"Thank you." Big Bird settled down with his milkshake and thought about his plans to meet Mr. Suffleupagus later. The adults continued their conversation.

Then Big Bird noticed something. The grown-ups were all sharing their food with each other.

"Susan and Gordon said that they share their food because they're in love," Big Bird said.

The grown-ups nodded. "Yes, that's right," Luis said.

"So are you _all_ in love with each other?" Big Bird asked laughing. He was completely unprepared for the answer.

"Yes Big Bird, we are." Olivia confirmed.

Big Bird stared. "You _are_?"

"That's right." David said. "All six of us are in love with each other."

"There's even a word for it." Maria said. "Polyamory."

"What's polyamory?" Big Bird asked, sounding out the word.

"Polyamory basically means that you love multiple people at the same time." David translated as Linda signed.

"You see Big Bird," Bob explained. "It goes with the idea that love is endless. You love lots of different friends don't you?"

"Yeah! I guess I do," Big Bird agreed.

"So why shouldn't it be possible to love more than one person romantically?"

"Oh I see." Big Bird said nodding. Then he paused. "Um Bob?"

"Yes Big Bird?"

"What does romantically mean?"

"Big Bird," Maria began. "Do you remember how Buffy explained to you that there are different kinds of love?"

"Yeah. She said that for Cody she had tiny and small love and for me she had yellow and tall love."

"Exactly. Romantic is just a word to describe a certain type of  love."

"Oh. Which kind? Tiny and small love or yellow and tall love?"

The grownups burst out laughing.

When he stopped laughing. Luis took over explaining. "See, the love you have for your friends is called 'platonic love.' And the love that you have for someone that you're dating or married to is called 'romantic love'."

"Oh." Big Bird thought for a moment. "What's it called when you love your family? I love Granny Bird, and my Aunt Nani Bird, and my teddy bear Radar and..."

Linda signed something which made Bob laugh, but no one translated for Big Bird

Then she signed something else. "That's called familial love, Big Bird." Olivia translated.

"I get it. When you love your family that's familial love, your friends is platonic, and if you're in a relationship it's romantic."

"Right!" David confirmed.

"So the, one, two, three, four, five, six, six of you are in a romantic relationship." Big Bird said.

"Right!" The adults chorused.

"So are you going to get married?" Big Bird asked. "Susan and Gordon are in a romantic relationship and they're married."

As the other adults started to laugh again. Linda tapped Maria on the shoulder and signed what was clearly a question. Confusion showing on her face. Maria, still laughing, translated what Big Bird had asked and then Linda was laughing too.

"What's so funny?" Big Bird asked, feeling a little put-out. "Asking questions is a good way of finding out things."

"S...sorry Big Bird." David chuckled. "I was just imagining six people trying to get m...married," and he was off again, laughing hysterically.

"Big Bird," Olivia said. "Six people can't get married to each other."

"Why not? You love each other."

Big Bird could just imagine it. Maria, Linda, and Olivia would be beautiful brides dressed all in white. Bob, Luis, and David handsome grooms.

Gordon and Susan could stand up for them. He supposed that the six of them would stand in a circle so that they could all see each other. They would sign the entire ceremony and it would be the happiest day anyone could remember.

 Olivia put her hand on his wing. "The world isn't always that simple. Marrying more than one person isn't allowed."

"But that's not fair," Big Bird said feeling disappointed.

"No it isn't," agreed Bob. "But not everything is fair. The important thing is that you're happy."

"And _are_ you all happy?" Big Bird asked.

"Oh yes," was the general consensus.

Luis looked at his watch. "We've got to get back to work."

"Do you understand now Big Bird?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah!" Big Bird said. "The six of you are in a romantic relationship. Romantic means that you're in love with each other. So you all love each other. But you can't get married. But you're all happy."

"That's right," she said. "You've got it."

"We'll see you later Big Bird," Maria told him as the adults headed off to their respective jobs.

Later that day Big Bird left his nest, closing the door behind him. He looked around the street to see what the grown-ups were doing. Mr. Macintosh and Willy were at their respective stands. Buffy was in the arbor singing to Cody. Susan and Gordon were watering the plants in front of the 123 building. Bob and Luis were holding hands and talking as they walked down the sidewalk. David and Olivia were talking closely over by Hooper's Store. Mr. Hooper set out the evening newspapers. Maria signed something to Linda that made her blush then kiss Maria on the cheek.

Big Bird grinned as he headed off to meet Mr. Snufflupagus, he couldn't wait to tell him what he had learned.

**Author's Note:**

> Sesame Street has been brought to you today by the letters P and B and by the number 6.
> 
> This fic is inspired by Episode 2411, in which Oscar demands of Maria, Luis, David, and Bob: "What is this?! Are you all in love with each other?" (And yes, he did ask this because they were sharing food). My immediate thought when I saw that scene was that I could get behind this ship but that I had to include Linda as well. I realized pretty quickly after that, that Olivia also had to be part of this.
> 
> Although it's inspired by a season 19 episode, it actually takes place somewhere around season 9. Hence the mentions of Mr. Hooper and Buffy.
> 
> They gave Big Bird a rather oversimplified version of their relationship because he doesn't need all the specifics. Not all the relationships within the OT6 are romantic, though many are.
> 
> What Linda signed while Big Bird was listing his family was, "oh no, he could go on all day."


End file.
